Today in History: December 15

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On this day in Bahamian history, in 1897 Robert Henry Sawyer became speaker of the House of Assembly. He served in office for less than a year before stepping down and was replaced by Francis Abraham Holmes.

In 82 years later in 1979 Jamaican and international recording group Bob Marley and the Wailers performed their only concert in The Bahamas at the Queen Elizabeth Sports Centre. The concert tour was to promote their latest album ‘Survival.’

On December 15, 2007, Bahamian own Sands beer was officially launched in Freeport, Grand Bahama. Owner James “Jimmy” Sands and family have a long heritage in the liquor and beverage business and in 2008 completed their dream of owning and operating their own 100% Bahamian brewery.

In 2017, after serving as president of the Court of Appeal for just over seven years, members of the judiciary and legal profession bid farewell to Dame Anita Allen. A special retirement sitting in the court on the day brought attorneys and jurists together to remember a giant in the legal profession.

In world history in 1939, the film “Gone with the Wind” had its world premiere in Atlanta.

In 1964, Canada’s parliament adopted a new national flag with a red maple leaf on a white background.

1966 saw the death of Walt Disney, the American animator who created Mickey Mouse.

In 1973, J. Paul Getty III was found in southern Italy after being kidnapped for five months, during which his right ear was cut off and sent to a Rome newspaper. He was the grandson of American oil tycoon J. Paul Getty, who was once the richest man in the world. Held for a $17 million ransom, his grandfather negotiated a payment of $2.2 million.

In 2001, Italy’s leaning tower of Pisa opened to the public for the first time in almost 12 years after massive efforts to reduce its tilt.